Rewild Soils - 2025 Year in Review

Professional Services & Revenue-Generating Work

Throughout 2025, Rewild Soils provided independent, paid professional services across multiple domains, including:

• Soil microbial analysis and interpretation

• Compost and biologically active amendments (including compost tea and compost extract)

• Large and small-scale Compost tea and extract applications

• Consulting and advisory services

• Professional presentations and workshops

Work engaged farms, land stewards, organizations, and professional audiences, ranging from targeted consultations to larger conference and educational settings. This breadth reflects both technical specialization in soil microbiology and adaptability across applied contexts.

Scientific Practice & Applied Research

A central pillar of 2025 was hands-on scientific work and data generation. Over the course of the year, Rewild Soils completed or contributed to:

• 140+ soil microbial analyses, including:

  • Approximately 65 analyses conducted for Humber College

  • Approximately 75 analyses as part of a forest soil study collaboration with Dr. Millward at TMU

• DNA analysis conducted on six compost teas and extracts, expanding capacity to compare live-microscopy assessments with molecular data

• Ongoing experimental and field-based inquiry examining microbial function, variability, and indicators of soil health

• Recertification of Soil Food Web Lab. Tech. certificate for the 4th year in a row.

This work substantially deepened analytical experience and clarified key gaps between applied soil biology practice and published evidence—directly informing future research and in-field trial design.

Professional Development & Sector Engagement

In parallel with client work, 2025 included focused investment in professional development and sector engagement:

• Ontario Biodiversity Summit 2025 – two-day participation with hosted booth

• EFAO Soil Health Field Trip – full-day visit to Mimosa Breeding & Research experimental farm

• Participation in the Soil Food Web School Consultant Training Program Accelerator Workshop (10-day intensive)

• Teaching and knowledge sharing through the Erin CommonGround Soil Health Workshop

• Multiple virtual learning webinars attended

These activities strengthened professional networks, ensured alignment with current ecological research, and reinforced Rewild Soils’ commitment to evidence-informed practice.

Leadership & Knowledge Contribution

Rewild Soils also contributed to the broader soil health community through selective leadership and advisory roles, including:

• Founding member and Scientific Advisor to Compost Toronto, supporting community-scale composting and soil education initiatives

• Complimentary peer-level consulting to Mike’s Magic Mulch, contributing expertise on biologically active soil amendments

These engagements reflect Rewild Soils’ role not only as a service provider, but as an active contributor to the regenerative soil ecosystem.

Applied Field Experience & Operational Context

In parallel with independent consulting and research, 2025 included selective part-time roles that provided financial stability while deepening hands-on experience in biologically driven plant and fungal systems:

• Worked at a native plant nursery, supporting plant production from seedling to transplant while brewing and applying compost extract, monitoring plant health, and participating in integrated pest management practices

• Gained applied experience in gourmet mushroom production, developing familiarity with fungal cultivation on sterilized media and controlled production systems

This applied field experience reinforced practical understanding of soil–plant–microbe interactions across diverse production contexts.

Looking Ahead

The work of 2025 clarified both strengths and needs. Rewild Soils enters 2026 with a strong base of analytical and field experience, a refined focus on fewer high-impact offerings, and a clear mandate for expanded in-field trials supported by scientific evidence.

The coming year will build on this foundation with an emphasis on financial stability, applied research, and continued professional credibility, with the aim to complete the final stages of the Soil Food Web School's Consultant Training Program.

We also wish to honor and acknowledge the first nations people who lived in this area for centuries and worked with the land to enhance it's biodiversity. It is our intention to learn from traditional indigenous knowledge and apply it to soil "rewilding", by working with people as part of nature.